Communities along the Inland Rail corridor between Parkes and the Queensland border, including Narrabri and Moree, have been left “devastated” by the federal government’s decision to terminate the project, but the Country Mayors Association of NSW believes there is still a way forward.
The CMA Board met with Minister for Infrastructure Catherine King on Wednesday, 10 June, to raise concerns about the decision to end the Inland Rail at Parkes, cutting short a project that had grown from an original budget of $8.4 billion in 2017 to $45 billion.
“Following the Government’s announcement, there was a unanimous resolution passed at our last CMA meeting to seek a meeting with Minister King to raise the many concerns our Members have about the decision to terminate the Inland Rail at Parkes,” said Mayor Rick Firman, CMA Chairman and Mayor of Temora Shire.
Mayor Firman said local governments and private businesses had made significant financial commitments based on the project going ahead, and now had little to show for it.
“There is ample evidence of the millions of dollars that both Local Government and private enterprise have invested in anticipation of the Inland Rail’s completion.”
“The truncation of the project has left many with large investments, made on the back of Government promises, with literally nowhere to go,” said Mayor Firman.
While acknowledging questions over the project’s ballooning cost, Mayor Firman said the human and economic toll on regional communities could not be ignored.
“We were able to have a frank discussion with the Minister about the decision. It is very evident that the budget which started with an original allocation of $8.4 billion in 2017, rising progressively since then to $45 billion deserves to be questioned.”
“However, there is no getting away from the fact that the Government’s decision has left many between Parkes and the Queensland border, particularly Narromine, Narrabri, Moree feeling devastated,” he said.
Minister King told the CMA Board the government’s focus would shift to east-west rail linkages connecting Parkes to Perth and to the Botany and Newcastle ports. She also advised the government would aim to preserve the existing corridor wherever possible.
The CMA said it was cautiously hopeful that work with the National Intermodal Corporation on intermodal hubs feeding into the existing Inland Rail network could offer some relief to affected communities.
“While we are very disappointed with decision, we are hopeful that the Minister’s advice that the Government is looking at working with the National Intermodal Corporation on intermodals that could feed into the Inland Rail will provide a viable fallback position for some,” said Mayor Firman.
The association is now pushing for an alternative model, suggesting the rail line could still run from Beveridge, on the Northern side of Melbourne, to Ebenezer near Ipswich, as an intermodal-to-intermodal solution rather than the original port-to-port vision.
That position draws on the independent 2023 review of the delivery of Inland Rail by Dr Kerry Schott, who found Ebenezer to be the strongest option when assessed against rail service requirements, freight competitiveness, proximity to end-user demand, and land use compatibility.
“We do not believe that simply deciding to truncate the project is providing the community, transport operators or all three tiers of government with the best outcomes, either economically, socially or environmentally,” Mayor Firman said.
“Given the sunk costs already incurred there must be a way to get a better return on investment.”
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